Back to Back wins for 2s

Still buzzing after our 2nd league victory over Castle Donnington, Melbourne 2nds rolled onto another local Derby at Derby 3rds a team we have lost to by a couple of points at Melbourne, we had only managed to field 14 players vs them the first time, so we were in a better postion from the start, and with Derby 1st and 2nds away and the VETS playing we could be sure this was a pure Derby 3rds team.

Our team was boalstered by the return of George Cartwright and Rich Woodburn, Tim Awbery,Booko from retirement Jack Pearce off of the first team and Tom Line back from Austalia, we also had the first outing in Melbourne colours for under 8's coach Karl who had last week played against us, but was brought into provide a bit of direction and to calm us all down a bit.

For the first time this year we had too many players to pick from to make the squad of 20 so I am sorry some folk did not get a text etc, I wil try and sort this out in future weeks. But we may need another team sometimes.

We lost Jordan to work and Dale Bilson to a nasty tickly cough, (you know the type that give you some plegm and tightness in chest and makes you a little weezy). Pip Day and Phil Jones also had nasty tickly coughs and did not want to play a whole game so started on the bench, this was all put into perspective by Jake Walker who did not complain of a tickly cough and then coughted up blood after the game and just got on with stuff, he is so brave. The ability to play with a tickly cough compares favourably with Mohamad Ali when he plyed rope a dope in the rumble in the jungle, the soldiers at Rorkes Drift, and Captain Oats in Scots antartic expedition of 1912.Such bravery must go rewarded.

Still we had a strong team and a very good blend of youth, from 18 to 26 and two mid forty year olds.

Derby were much larger but did not look quite as fit as us, as usual the message was hold the scrums, win our lines, mess with theirs and be quicker.

There was a very strong wind and it blowed across the pitch, probably favouring Derby slightly in the first half, but really it was pain for both teams, Derby also warned us about the ref and mentioned that he would blow his whistle a lot.

We kicked off and from the beginning it was clear that we were quicker and more insisive and probably a bit more hungry at the breakdown, but Derby were stronger and did not give up the ball easily. But decision after decision went against Melbourne mainly for Knock ons many for which were odd (as they were not). Sean the Sheep made a number of great breaks and Derby could not exert any pressure, our scrum held firm and we even pinched one (good stuff Tim, Jake and Chris) and the addition of Karl at the backl of the scrum meant we secured our own ball. Will C and George were working well together.

Derby have a good 9 and 10 who did not kick quite as much as we expected given the wind. Despite this Melbourne did not look like scoring and did not have the confidence to take the Derby defense on (apart from Sean) This changed on 13 minutes when we sped things up, Will C took a quick penalty, following a good run by Kurtis and Sean, and a simple pass to Booko saw him score un apposed 7-0

A derby player was sin binned for a silly cuddle on a Melbourne player taking a quick drop out, Derby did not do too much with the line out ball they won, it was not catch and drive, as Donnington had been the week before.

Melbourne also had a spell of doing funny pass's out of the back of the hand, which normally resulted in a knock on.

But mainly due to a succession of Penalties and srums awarded to Derby for reasons un known to both side Derby rolled forward, in the game I can not rememeber them making many line breaks or trundling 20 yards but they did get good territory from Penalties and like an enormous set of siege guns they set about breaking down the Melbourne try line for what seemed liked an age. Time and time again the got the ball and charged forward and time and again they were held. I saw lots of great tackles but as always Chris WIlliams and Al were there, as was Dean and Karl had a good contirbution.

In the end after one offside too many Rich Woodburn was sinned binned for his first offense, (he suffered for others ) and Melbourne had to finish the half under pressure and down to 14 men.

For the 2nd half we swapped Phil Jones for Dean,. Pip for Jake, and Alex Birch for Booko, all three of these subs wanted to come off again after 10 minutes and Pip and Alex managed it. Deano would not let Phil.

Phil Jones surpised the Derby home support who were amazed how strong he was as he went on a number of bullocking runs in mid field. Derby still had most of the pressure and ball, but still Melbourne broke out a few times, and were faster and more dangerous. In the end a spilled pass from Derby fell to Tommy line who flew like a well tanned missile after his own kick through and ran 60 yards to finally kick the ball over the Derby line for Kurtis to score an uncovnerted try 12-0.

I feel at this point we might well have fallen into a pattern of allowing Derby to have the ball and expecting them to eventually be turned over and break out, this is probably a little complacent and we paid for it when a missed tackly allowed Derby to score under the posts. 12-7

Melbourne did then wake up a bit and had a few more chances, and the territory was more even, Derby decided to throw the ball about a bit more and Melbourne were able to pinch it.

Chris Mansfield as always, was able to occasassaionally, and at a time of his own choosing decide to rip the ball off a Derby player and turn it over.

With 12 to go, Karl was binned for not releasing, again I think he was made an example of, and we were going to be in for a squeaky last 10 minutes, but Melbourne always had the ability to accelerate play and suddenly Al H trurnd over ball in midfied made a few yards (he made several good runs in the game) fed Jack pearce who had dogged it out in the back row all game, who then passed to Rich woodburn who scored (I think his first try for Melbourne seniors)

The last 6 minute of the game were played out with less commitment from Melbourne and it was no surprise when Derby Trundled over with the last play of the game 19-14 final score.

All in all a good game and I think if we had played this well in the first encounter the result could have been different, Derby were a really good host, they were more critical of the ref than we were despite him giving them more decsions and they played in a great spirit.

MVP, lots of ususal suspects, Al, Chris W, Chris M, but this week Sean Moran for his first half performance.

A little frustration that the pace we have injected in spells in both the last two games. is not the standard way we play, as we never got Derby to be on the back foot for any sustained period which give oppositions confidence, we need to turn defenses around a bit more.

But lots of reasons to be cheerful. a srum half and fly half with a combined age of less than our inside centre and looking good, a young strong front row, and a good balance in the back row. and Pace in the back 3. as well as Tommy/Phil not breaking anything

Next week we have a week off and then back in action at Home vs Ilkeston 3rds, I also want a 2nd team beer soon.

Dont forget the tour, the diner and the next event in a tent in March